Overview of HHW

Providing household hazardous waste collection to the citizens of Tennessee is an important and worthwhile cause. Proper disposal of HHW helps to protect the environment and sanitation workers and can reduce the toxicity of landfill leachate. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for citizens to rid their homes of potentially dangerous chemicals.

New Developments in the HHW Program

In an effort to to provide mobile collection service to a greater number of counties and to capture the most hazardous household chemicals throughout the State the HHW Program will no longer accept paint or electronics at the mobile collection events. Local governments will be expected to provide regular collection of batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronics (BOPAE) to be considered for future HHW service. The minimum requirements to be considered to receive mobile HHW collection service are detailed in the following section.

The State’s contractor will collect oil-based paint only, at fixed locations (i.e. convenience centers, recycling centers, etc.). They will continue to provide storage containers, box liners, and milk run pickup service. This service will continue to be provided at no cost to the County. Refer to the Household Paint Management Guidance and Policy for details.

In Fiscal Year 2010, paint and electronics combined represented a statewide average of 74% by weight and 35% by costs of materials collected and managed at mobile HHW events. This volume of material requires the mobilization of increased staffing by the contractor and the county, heavy equipment, and additional supplies and resources to adequately manage these wastes at mobile collection events. Experience indicates that when these two minimally hazardous waste streams are diverted away from the mobile collection events participation and idle times in long lines decrease tremendously. Reduced participation and shorter traffic lines allow for smaller HHW event sites. We suggest hosting events at solid waste convenience centers or recycling centers where BOPAE is currently managed by the county.

Minimum Requirements to Qualify for an HHW Collection Event

The HHW Program has established criteria for scheduling HHW events. The following provides an overview of minimum requirements to qualify for an HHW Collection event. These requirements are established to eliminate the collection of BOPAE materials at mobile events and provide funding for disposal of the most hazardous materials found in households. A county shall provide regular or year round services directly or by contract, if adequate sites are not otherwise available in the county for the use of the residents of the county.

Alkaline Batteries: The County may recycle alkaline batteries or educate the public that alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury and therefore may be disposed in their garbage.

Rechargeable Batteries (Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-Ion, Ni-Zn, small sealed lead acid): The County shall provide year round collection and recycling of rechargeable batteries. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) offers a collection program at no cost.

Lead Acid Batteries: Per T.C.A. 68-211-866, “each county shall provide directly, by contract or through a solid waste authority at least one (1) site to receive and store waste tires, used automotive oils and fluids, and lead-acid batteries, if adequate sites are not otherwise available in the county for the use of the residents of the county.” Lead acid batteries have value and most counties contract with a local battery recycler.

All other batteries shall be managed by the State HHW Contractor at mobile HHW collections.

Used Automotive Oil: Per T.C.A. 68-211-866, “each county shall provide directly, by contract or through a solid waste authority at least one (1) site to receive and store waste tires, used automotive oils and fluids, and lead-acid batteries, if adequate sites are not otherwise available in the county for the use of the residents of the county.” Well managed used oil collection generates revenue from used oil transporters or provides cost avoidance when collected by the county and burned in used oil heaters.

Used Antifreeze: Per T.C.A. 68-211-866, “each county shall provide directly, by contract or through a solid waste authority at least one (1) site to receive and store waste tires, used automotive oils and fluids, and lead-acid batteries, if adequate sites are not otherwise available in the county for the use of the residents of the county.” Most used oil transporters provide antifreeze collection at no cost in order to get the used oil also. Otherwise, antifreeze collection and recycling averages a cost of $35-50 per 55-gallon drum.

Paint: The County shall provide regular collections
of oil-based paint. Oil-based paint shall be collected at a fixed location and
disposed by the State HHW contractor in scheduled milk run pick-ups. The county
may collect and manage the latex paint by recycling or solidification, as
approved by the Department’s Division of Solid Waste Management Environmental
Field Office. Refer to the Household Paint Management Guidance and Policy for details.

Markets for each of these materials, as noted above, are provided in the Helpful Links section above right.

Organizing and Hosting Collection Events - HHW or BOPAE

HHW - The Division of Solid Waste Management (SWM) has a policy guide for counties interested in planning an HHW Collection event. The policy guide describes the responsibilities of the State, the host county, and the State's HHW contractor. These responsibilities are based on Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies concerning the management of HHW.

The State pays the contractor a minimum set-up fee each time the HHW Collection Service is mobilized regardless of the participation at the event. In order to provide the most cost efficient service, the events should be well utilized. A collection event cannot be successful without advertisement. The Advertising and Public Education Guide for Household Hazardous Waste in Tennessee is available to help counties advertise effectively. Sample press releases and advertisements are available along with examples of success stories. In addition, a pre-event checklist and timeline for local coordinators is available to assist in planning and advertising the event.

BOPAE - Some counties choose to host scheduled collections for BOPAE as an alternative to year round collection for BOPAE. This option meets the minimum requirements for qualifying for HHW Service. McMinn County's request for a mobile household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event was not fulfilled in fall 2007 due to increasing HHW disposal costs and participation levels. As a result Shawn Lindsey, Public Works Director for the City of Athens, inquired about other options for McMinn County/City of Athens residents in need of disposal of HHW. The state HHW staff assisted Mr. Lindsey with a BOPAE Collection Event. In exchange for Mr. Lindsey's management of batteries, oil, latex paint, antifreeze, and electronics, the State paid for the disposal of any oil-based paint or lithium batteries collected.

This event was a huge success! It cost the city of Athens less than $1,000 due to the partnerships created with local media, environmental groups, and waste haulers. Mr. Lindsey worked closely with Keep McMinn Beautiful to recruit volunteers for the day of the BOPAE event. The McMinn County Environmental Club and WXYI radio station contributed advertisements and other media. Due to this increased promotion, the participation for this event was slightly higher than McMinn County's last HHW event. An electronics recycling vendor provided labor and recycling directly at no cost to the county. A total of 20,350 lbs was collected at the BOPAE event in comparison to 21,403 lbs at the last HHW collection.

This event was an excellent example of what can be accomplished when local & state agencies, community organizations, and private industry work together toward a common goal of proper disposal of batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronics at minimum cost in order to facilitate more HHW events across the state. The Hosting BOPAE Collection Events Guidance describes most of the details that need consideration like spill containment, storage containment, personal protective equipment, best management practices, recycling markets, and more.

Year Round Collection of HHW and BOPAE

Solid Waste Management encourages counties to educate its citizens year-round concerning the proper use and disposal of HHW. Counties should use all available means to communicate the characteristics of HHW, the consequences of improper disposal, and the basic concept of reducing, reusing, and recycling HHW whenever possible.

By following certain guidelines, many HHW (i.e. propane tanks, computers and televisions, paint, batteries, used oil, antifreeze, fluorescent bulbs, mercury thermostats, and oil filters) can be safely collected by existing solid waste staff on a year-round basis. This higher level of service to local residents can reduce mobile collection costs, prevent landfilling of waste, and improve water quality. The Division of Solid Waste Management established Household Paint Management Requirements and Household Paint Management Guidance for counties involved in household paint collection and handling. For more year-round collection options for mercury thermostats, escrap, rechargeable batteries, cell phones, propane cylinders, and more please see above helpful links on the right.

For more information about Tennessee's Household Hazardous
Waste Program, please contact Paula
Mitchell by email or at
615-532-9265.